


Word of the Day

by Rosa Blythe (Writing_Bearifficly), Writing_Bearifficly



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019), Club Penguin
Genre: Gargantuan, Gen, Liaison - Freeform, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, One Word Prompts, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, abominable, adjudicate, behest, boycott, campestral, clement - Freeform, cumulate, demotic, doldrums, eclectic, farouche, handsel, imbroglio, malinger, mea culpa, myopic, nomothetic, paradigm, paradigm is a little salty fair warning, rapporteur, substantive, syllogism, teetotaler, venal, wherewithal, word of the day
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-10-02 17:09:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 7,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17268077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writing_Bearifficly/pseuds/Rosa%20Blythe, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writing_Bearifficly/pseuds/Writing_Bearifficly
Summary: A series of drabbles and oneshots based on Merriam-Webster's words of the day. The plan is to write a drabble/fic/something each day.





	1. Handsel

**Author's Note:**

> _handsel. noun. a gift made as a token of good wishes or luck especially at the beginning of a new year._

"Surprise!"

PH looked at the gift box Rookie held in his flippers. "What's this?"

"It's for you!" Rookie said. "Come on, open it!"

PH took the box and opened it. Inside the box was a keychain made of green and gold fuse beads. They fused in such a way that they formed a golden O-berry; PH's personal symbol of good luck. "Rookie..."

"According to G and Agent, it's called a handsel," Rookie said. "It's something made for good luck at the beginning of the year. I made handsels for everyone in the EPF!"

PH clipped the keychain to her whistle, then looked at Rookie with a grin. "Thank you so much, mate. I love it."

"You're welcome!" Rookie chirped.

Before anything else could be said, the door burst open and Dot rushed in.

"Uh, guys? Someone's handsel caught on fire, which is messing with the fireworks display, and so long story short the Director is ordering us to improvise one, so we need all flippers on deck..."

PH rolled her eyes. "Let's see how much luck the other handsels bring, then."


	2. Campestral

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _campestral. adjective. of or relating to open fields or country._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had no idea what to do with the prompt.

"Well," Aunt Arctic said, looking at the stretch of land in front of her. "This certainly is campestral."

Dot shot her an odd look. "It's a field of wildflowers. And your choice of adjective is something that nobody uses?"

Aunt Arctic let out a huff as she walked toward the field. "It's a perfectly suitable word to describe this field."

Dot immediately grew curious. Quickly, she slipped out her phone and looked up the word. "Actually, not really - it just means that this is an open field." She looked toward her boss again with a raised eyebrow. "Did you just take this from a word of the day calendar or something?"

Aunt Arctic crossed her arms. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't."

Dot grinned in amusement. "You totally did."

"Does it really matter?" Aunt Arctic asked, looking over her shoulder to the stealth master. "Herbert could show up any minute, and you want to argue about a word I used?"

Dot rolled her eyes as she slipped her phone back into her fashion kit. "You're right, we need to get to work." She walked up to Aunt Arctic, then smirked. "But we are  _so_ not done talking about your banal adjective choices."

Aunt Arctic could only groan.


	3. Rapporteur

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _rapporteur. noun. a person whose job is to do research and present official reports on a particular subject._

Rosa was uncertain of how she got into this position.

She found the application lying on the Coffee Shop table. She quickly recognized it as a PSA questionnaire, and decided to apply. When she got the approval and became an agent, she expected to be assigned to minor cases. Random Pizza Parlor holdups, fights in the Town, rescuing puffles from trees (or mountains, as it would later turn out), that sort of thing. After all, that's what the majority of agents did. Why should she expect any differently?

That was why she didn't expect to become the top agent of the PSA, and somehow only go up from there.

When the PSA shut down and the EPF took over, she was... somewhat relieved, however ashamed she was to say it. A new agency meant starting fresh. She was at the top originally, but now she was closer to the bottom. She could  _go_ on those minor missions, because she wasn't high enough to get the bigger ones. Being at the top was fun, sure, but it was also ridiculously stressful. So maybe, just maybe, she could escape her reputation, just for a while.

Then her first mission in the EPF involved stopping the island from sinking, and Rosa realized that once she hit the top, there was no going down.

So she stopped trying to do so. She was at the top, so she'd keep herself at the top. She did most of the top-class missions. She kept saving the island. She did whatever she was assigned. She kept climbing even higher, to the point where she gained the honor of learning the Director's identity (and  _really_ , Rosa should've seen the truth coming, that first mission was  _highly_ suspect). She kept climbing, and she knew she should never look back.

When the Director asked her to become the rapporteur for the Agent Class of the EPF, Rosa realized just how far she really had come. She had started off expecting nothing, and instead received everything. Her resourcefulness, remarkableness, and readiness sent her to the top, and now she'd officially be the one reporting on all the Agent Class,  _her_ class, does in the EPF.

Rosa was uncertain of how she got into this position.

But she would never go back for the world.


	4. Abominable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _abominable. adjective. worthy of or causing disgust or hatred._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Casually ignoring a comic...

"Uh, when I was told that you guys were looking for Aunt Arctic," Rory says, staring at the printing presses in the Book Room, "I was  _not_ counting on finding a half-finished newspaper."

PH looks around at the team that Sensei had assembled to search for the missing journalist. Most of them are staring at the presses as well, recognizing that whatever was in the pages had the potential to do a lot of damage. "So... we're not gonna let the newspaper get published, right?" she asks. "Cause if there are any serious EPF secrets in there, we don't want them released. It's bad enough what happened to Dot and Jet Pack Guy."

Sensei lets out a sigh. "You are right, PH. The damage can be great, if we don't stop it."

Cadence raises her flipper. "We don't know what's in the newspaper though," she says. "We need to see just how much damage control we need to do. And we need to keep enough so Herbert won't notice."

"I'll read it," PH immediately volunteers. "I'm already an EPF agent, and the Director would trust me to keep it secret."

Stompin' Bob crosses his flippers, a thoughtful look coming on his face. "That's also a good reason why you  _shouldn't_ read it," he points out. "It'll make you even more of a target. I'll do it."

G Billy raises an eyebrow. "Dude, this could be a huge secret. Do you really think you could do it?"

Franky clears his throat. "Personally, I think Sensei should do it," he says. "He can definitely keep any secret in the newspaper, and I'm pretty sure he's not high on Herbert's most-wanted list."

PH lets out a sigh. "Y'know what, mate, you're right," she concedes. "Sensei, can you see what needs to be cut out?"

Sensei nods and picks up a copy of the half-finished newspaper and quickly begins to read. The entire group watches in tense silence, desperately hoping that the damage isn't too bad, hoping that Herbert doesn't know the island's biggest secrets, hoping that he won't reveal them to everyone.

They're startled when Sensei suddenly crumples the newspaper into a ball in a sudden fit of anger. Such an emotion was  _incredibly_ out of character for him, suggesting that there was more to it than Herbert's typical articles.

PH is the first to clear her throat. "How bad was it?"

"The only word to describe the article is 'abomination'," Sensei says. "We must print a new one. There are secrets the island must never know."

The group immediately understands, and filters to different parts of the Book Room to get started on finishing the new-and-improved newspaper. They have to build up the island's morale, let some light shine through the darkness, give everyone hope.

And yet, in the back of everyone's minds, they all wonder what Herbert tried to reveal that made the article an abomination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got 259 words about the start of the Blackout, then went, "nOPE new idea!!"
> 
> Thanks for that, brain.
> 
> (also it was the director's identity - i firmly believe sensei knows due to some post-blackout dialogue he has in-game)


	5. Eclectic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _eclectic. adjective. composed of elements drawn from various sources._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't actually know where this AU is going. I might expand in the future though...?
> 
> Also. Human? Penguin? Who knows? Not me.

"Are you the Disguise Gal?"

Dot looked up from the service desk and analyzed the woman addressing her. "Indeed I am. Which means you must be the Director."

The Director nodded. "I ordered some outfits from you."

Dot nodded. "They're in the back. I assume they're for something secret, since you won't give your name?"

The Director nodded. "I'm terribly sorry, but it's not safe for you to know why we need them..."

Dot waved the concern away. "Don't worry about it," she said. "I'm used to top-secret requests. That's why I'm so well-known underground. C'mon, I'll take you to the back."

The Director followed Dot into the back room, which was full of commissions she had been requested to make. The designer took some garment bags off of a rack and handed then to the Director. "Gotta admit, it was pretty fun to make them. Your requests were... eclectic, I'd say."

The Director took the bags and smiled mysteriously. "Well, I heard that eclectic outfits were something you could do."

"You heard correctly." Dot headed towards the door. "C'mon, I'll ring you up. I hope the outfits suit whatever you need them for."

The Director carefully unzipped the garment bags and looked at the disguises. "They're perfect. Thank you."


	6. Paradigm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _paradigm. noun. example, pattern; especially: an outstandingly clear or typical example or archetype._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...this is a little salty. Fair warning.

The year following the popcorn bomb was... frustrating, to say the least.

The announcement that the PSA was being put out of commission was met with some resistance. "Some" being an understatement, really - the agents opposed to the change were  _very_ vocal about their opinions. Their open opposition was starting to wear down some of the other agents, causing them to become upset about the change as well.

The EPF agents, especially the ones who were also PSA, were trying their best to lower the salt levels, but... there's only so much they could do, really.

Then the construction was completed. The Sports Shop was taken out - which was a whole other wave of salt that extended to the civilians as well as the agents - and replaced with the Everyday Phoning Facility. Recruitments for the EPF were opened, and the invitations were sent out for the PSA agents to transfer over. A majority of the agents  _did_ , including ones who were initially salty about the PSA going out of commission (the Club Penguin Times reporters were highly confused as to why Aunt Arctic kept banging her head against her desk and then refused to explain). Everyone who was fine with the change  _thought_ things were looking up.

They were wrong. They were so,  _so_ wrong.

The originally salty agents kept finding things to complain about. Anything and everything was available for critique, and it was stressing out a lot of the agents. A couple agents who were part of the EPF before the PSA shut down actually put in vacation time, expressing a desire to come back only when the hate stopped. Many agents thought it would die down within a couple of months, but the salt and the hate kept persisting.

Aunt Arctic was sick of it.

She had needed to go into the Command Room as her civilian self for some reason, shortly after the EPF was leaked to the press. She was being escorted by G through the Command Room, when she overheard some agents complaining about the way things worked in the EPF, and how  _different_ it was from the PSA. They were talking about how it was so  _different_ and how the PSA was so much  _better_ and--

Maybe it was her frustration that it had nearly been a year and they had still not let it go. Maybe it was because she had assumed the role of the Director of the PSA, but had created the EPF herself. She didn't know.

But she  _did_ snap.

"Look," she said, ignoring G's warning look and stepping toward the salty agents. "It has been nearly a  _year_ since the PSA went out of commission. You have had plenty of time to adjust. But to you, the PSA is the paradigm for secret agencies, apparently. The example, the pattern, the model every agency should follow. Except for one, minor detail:  _this isn't the PSA_."

The salty agents took a step back. Aunt Arctic was not cowed.

"This isn't the PSA, so you cannot expect it to be like the PSA," she continued. "The EPF is a different agency, and it operates differently. And the thing is? Nobody  _forced_ you to join. You  _chose_ to transfer from the PSA to the EPF, and yet all you've done is complain about it. You have the honor to protect the island, so why not display it?" She whipped around and walked back over to G, who continued to escort her through the Command Room. She did not look at the salty agents.

G led her into a small office, then entered himself and closed the door. "That was..."

Aunt Arctic sighed. "I went overboard, didn't I?"

G shook his head. "Maybe a little, but they were some of the saltier agents," he said. "That might have been just what they needed." He smirked. "I'm just glad the security footage caught all of that, because it was  _glorious_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this basically just my saltiness about people hating on Club Penguin Island for the sole reason of it not being Classic CP, combined with my saltiness about everyone else's saltiness about the Miraculous Ladybug episode "Chameleon" (which I still have not found the motivation to watch because _so. much. salt._ )?
> 
> ...maybe a little.
> 
> There's also a hint of salt about the Carmen Sandiego reboot hate, but whatever.


	7. Demotic

"Oh my fluffy fish."

Jasmine tore her gaze from the flooded canal and turned to Rachel, confused. "'Oh my fluffy fish'?" she asked. "Isn't it normally, 'Oh my gosh'? Or goodness?"

Rachel shook her head. "Not on this island. Here, it's 'oh my fluffy fish'."

Jasmine blinked. "How did  _that_ happen?"

Rachel shrugged. "Do you really expect me to know how this works? I got a C in English class."

"Touche." Jasmine looked back at the flood. "Think you can give it a shot?"

Rachel let out a frustrated sigh. "Fluffy fish are common in this area, and according to Aunt Arctic, superstitious folks consider it to be good luck. So I guess it's said in shocking situations in hopes that good luck with cause it all to resolve nicely?" She shrugged again. "I don't know. It's just a demotic expression." She looked up. "Oh, there's Rookie. I'm gonna see if he knows what's up with the flooded canal." She walked off.

Jasmine stayed frozen for a few seconds, then tugged at her hair in frustration. "Why are cultures and languages so  _complicated_?"


	8. Malinger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _malinger. verb. to pretend or exaggerate incapacity or illness (as to avoid duty or work)._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a long time since I've read _Star Reporter_ , so Liz and Kip are probably OOC, but I don't care...

Kip ran into the Club Penguin Times office with a frantic expression. "Is she here yet? Has Aunt Arctic come in?"

Liz rolled her eyes. "Chill, Kip. It's not your story. And to answer your question, no. Even though the interview is in, like, an hour."

Clark dropped his notebook on his desk and turned to them. "Seriously, where is she? Normally she shows up early to prepare for a serious interview like this. This doesn't quite make--"

_Ba-ding_.

Kip and Liz turned to Clark, who quickly pulled out his cell phone. He checked his notifications and saw that he had a new text message. "Speak of the devil."

Kip frowned. "What is it?"

"Text message from Aunt Arctic." Curious now, Clark opened the message.

_Hi Clark, I'm sorry but I cannot do the interview today. I lost my voice. I know of a seaweed tea recipe to help me get it back by tomorrow, but I won't have it back by the time of the interview. Could you please do it?_

Clark winced, knowing the issues of a journalist losing their voice before an interview. He had been there, and it was  _not_ fun. He shot back,  _Sure, I'll do it_ _._

"What's up?" Liz asked.

Clark pocketed his phone. "Aunt Arctic lost her voice. She's not doing the interview. I'm taking it."

Liz nodded. "Might want to get ready for that, then. Break a leg."

Clark smiled in appreciation and grabbed his hat. He had an interview to attend to.

* * *

_Ba-ding_.

Aunt Arctic quickly grabbed her phone and looked at the incoming text. It was from Clark.

_Sure, I'll do it._

Aunt Arctic grinned, shot back a quick "thanks", then set her phone on the table. "Thank goodness for the art of malingering," she muttered.

But now that ditching the interview was out of the way, she had other things to attend to.

She walked over to her closet and pulled out her jacket and tie. In swift, fluid movements, she put them on, then took the pencil out from underneath her beanie and tucked it into a pocket. She checked her reflection in the mirror, nodded in satisfaction, then sat down at her computer. Thanks to Clark, the interview would proceed with no problems.

She smiled in appreciation and grabbed her spy phone. She had an interview to attend to.

 


	9. Behest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _behest. noun. an authorative order: command._

"What are you doing?"

Violet looked up at Cheyenne, who was staring at her with a look of extreme confusion. "Uh... pool party?"

Cheyenne crossed her flippers. "Is anyone cleaning up this mess?"

Violet shrugged. "Don't think so, yet. The priority is keeping up a cover story right now. Because  _apparently_ we can't just say that the island nearly sank into the sea. Because  _apparently_ the EPF is going to remain even more secret than the PSA."

Cheyenne blinked. "Who gave you these orders? G?"

Violet shook her head. "Actually, we're doing this at the Director's behest. And I quote, 'We're going to throw a water party, and you guys are going to celebrate. That's an order.'"

"I refuse to believe." Cheyenne shifter her weight to one foot. "The Director? Ordering a party? After being so strict with Rachel about code names? Never."

"They seemed to find the order amusing." Violet shrugged. "Sooooo... you joining the fun?"

"Let me grab my swimsuit."


	10. Venal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _venal. adjective. open to corruption or bribery._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More of that AU that I had no idea where I was going anywhere with. Because I had no idea where to take this prompt. :P
> 
> And also, _apparently_ everyone wants to go by like five different names in this AU, so hopefully y'all can figure out who's who by (not so) subtle hints and context clues.

“I can give you a list of reasons why this is a bad idea.”

Percival crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “Go on.”

Anne leaned forward, staring Percival down. “Number one. You are asking us to plan out and conduct a major heist, breaking several of our codes. Most of my agents would be highly uncomfortable doing this. Number two, the heist would be conducted at a highly secure facility. Meaning even if we _were_ comfortable with it, we likely wouldn't be able to do it successfully. Number three, you are _bribing_ me, and that is something you do not want to do.”

Percival shifted uncomfortably; Anne smirked.

"We are a great many things, Percival," Anne continued. "We do some shifty things from time to time, yes; but we are  _not_ venal. We will not pick up your job, and we will likely never serve you.  _Ever_. You will need to take your services elsewhere."

Percival stared at her for a few seconds, then smirked. "Well then, I guess I'll have to tell the police just  _who_ specifically broke into the PSA's classified area and stole the Silver Gem." He leaned forward, staring Anne dead in the eye. "Of course, if you do this heist, I suppose I can let it slide..."

Anne's breath hitched in her throat as she realized exactly what Percival was saying. Nonetheless, she glared at him. "Bribing me is not something you want to do, yet if you must choose between bribery and blackmail? Choose the bribery." She stood up. "I will take your case, but don't think for one moment you will not pay the price for your threat, as well as any action you make on that threat. You are dismissed."


	11. Syllogism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _syllogism. noun. deductive reasoning._

Aunt Arctic covered her face in exasperation. "Are you  _sure_ it was Alpha?"

Rosa nodded. "The suspect struck at 12:37 AM. Alpha was scheduled for night shift at the Phoning Facility, but she switched with Agent Cassandra at short notice. The thief was experienced, quite visibly, but it was  _also_ clear it was a rush job, without thorough planning."

Aunt Arctic shook her head. "I need more to go on."

"Of course." Rosa stepped forward and placed several photos on the desk. "The suspect wore a ninja mask, indicating that they had defeated Sensei in Card-Jitsu. Alpha has. The thief used techniques most tactical class agents master; Alpha in particular specializes in them. The thief is cross-dominant, which surprisingly isn't a common trait among tactical agents, as most are ambidextrous or learned ambidextrous; I know for a fact that Alpha is cross-dominant."

Aunt Arctic sat down. "Coincidences. Hitting the point of barely, but coincidences nonetheless. All of it." She looked at Rosa seriously. "I need  _very_ firm proof; this is all supporting evidence, but there's nothing that it can support. Everything is falling apart."

Rosa let out a giggle. "Then I think this is proof enough." She placed another photo on the desk. "Rookie made every agent a keychain as a handsel. No two keychains were alike.  _This_ is Alpha's handsel."

Aunt Arctic analyzed the picture closely, then looked at Rosa. "Are you certain?"

Rosa grinned and nodded. "I train her. I would know what her handsel looks like."

Aunt Arctic looked at the picture again, then facepalmed. "Right. I'll call her in." She looked up at Rosa. "Your syllogism is commendable, I must say. Why have I not hired you on the Times yet?"

Rosa rubbed her arm. "I'm perfectly content working downstairs, but thank you."


	12. Boycott

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _boycott. noun. to refuse to buy or use (something)._

"So we're officially being boycotted now."

Jet Pack Guy let out a groan as Maria slipped past the assortment of sleeping bags that filled the cave. "Seriously? We've made it clear since this mess started that we're on the island's side, and this is how we're repaid?"

Maria dropped her bag of supplies on the ground. "What I don't understand is what happened. The whole island just... turned on us, out of the blue. Even most of the agents did too. Heck, we even lost G, Dot, and Rookie to... whatever this is. Why are _we_ set apart? Who is doing this?"

Jet Pack Guy crossed his arms. "A hundred coins says it's a certain polar bear."

"Then pay up," a woman said from the mouth of the cave. Jet Pack Guy and Maria immediately snapped to attention as Aunt Arctic entered. "Herbert just got in touch with me. He's just as confused about the situation as we are. And Protobot is disabled, not that this is his style anyway..."

Maria let out a sigh and glanced around the cave. "Terrible idea, but do you think that Herbert can help end this mess? He's pretty good at patterns, when he's not being an idiot."

Aunt Arctic nodded. "He suggested that he assist, in fact. I wanted the opinions of the remaining leads before I accepted."

Jet Pack Guy looked at her. "Dot will never let me hear the end of this when we get her back, but... yeah, let's do it."

Aunt Arctic nodded. "I'll get in touch."


	13. Clement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _clement. adjective. not severe: mild._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was supposed to be a discussion about the weather what happened

"Can't we get some clement weather for a change?"

Michael looked up from the Coffee Shop counter. Clarice had just entered and was preparing herself to clock in. "Can the dictatorship end first?" he asked.

Clarice let out a sigh. "I'd rather focus on the weather. Did you see the weather report last night? Ridiculous."

Michael shrugged. "I listened to it on the radio. The meteorologist took  _extreme_  pleasure in the fact that Herbert probably wasn't listening to that particular report."

Clarice pulled her apron on and tied it. "I'd probably do the same, honestly."

Michael chuckled, then turned serious. "Any word from Aunt Arctic?"

Clarice tensed, then shook her head. "She's the only one left of the Mascots to not break their silence," she said quietly. "She's gotta crack soon. It's almost been a week."

Michael closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was freezing cold outside (even moreso than normal), there was a crazy polar bear now in charge, everyone was treading  _very_ carefully while simultaneously trying to resist the crazy polar bear now in charge, and one of the most influential penguins on the island had basically gone off the grid with no explanation. The island was in a very tight spot, and he was starting to have doubts they'd ever get out.

"Hey." As if sensing what he was thinking, Claire gently grabbed his flipper. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "We'll survive this. We've weathered so many storms in the past as a community. What's one more gonna do to us?"

Michael smiled and nodded. Claire was right; they've made it through trials before, and they could do it again.

Together, as a community.


	14. Mea culpa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _mea culpa. noun. a statement in which you say that something is your fault._

**An Apology From the EPF**

**By Aunt Arctic—**  As the recent attacks on the island draw to a close, answers come to the surface. For the first time in history, the Elite Penguin Force has issued a mea culpa regarding the attacks.

**The Statement**

"We are deeply sorry for the damage the latest attacks have caused," lead scientist G said in a statement. "Truth be told, we are the ones responsible.

"The attacks were caused by a machine of my own invention, which influenced the actions of many penguins on the island. This prompted them to behave abnormally and perform reckless and dangerous activities – including the attacks.

"I have analyzed the machine and have come to the conclusion that there was no outside tampering. It was entirely my fault, and I cannot apologize enough for it."

"We are taking steps to ensure that this does not happen again," the Director added. "We can assure you that action will be taken and proper discipline issued. We take the island's safety very seriously, and we refuse to endanger it any more."


	15. Liaison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _liaison. noun. a person who helps groups work together._

Anne sighed as she stared into her tea, trying to solve the puzzle of her latest case.

The Elite Penguin Force absolutely needed the Penguin Secret Agency's help on their current operation, but both agencies were too stubborn to work something out. Her case was to get the two agencies to cooperate and work something out.

Turns out, that was easier said than done.

She flopped backwards in her seat and took a sip of her tea. Both sides wanted specific terms that the other didn't want to agree to. Something needed to give, and soon. Otherwise the EPF's operation would never get solved, and--

"Are you all right?"

Anne looked up, startled. A dark blue penguin was looking at her, concern etched on his face. She recognized him from around PSA HQ; part of their science division. Highly skilled, from what she saw of him.

She smiled and nodded. 'Yes, I am. I just have a lot on my mind."

The penguin glanced around, then sat down opposite of her. "I... know I'm not technically supposed to talk about this, but... you're Agent Arctic, right? The liaison?"

Anne nodded. "I've seen you around PSA HQ. I'm sorry, but I don't know your name..."

"G."

"Pleasure to officially meet you, G," she said with a smile. "As for whether or not I'm all right... I was just puzzling out my liaison case. I've never actually done anything like this before..."

G nodded in understanding. "I'm one of the few who has clearance to know about the problem. They are being rather stubborn, aren't they?"

Anne groaned. " _Yes_. They both want specific terms, and neither side will budge. And I'm supposed to sort it out and get them to work together. I don't have  _any_ clue what I'm doing - which, considering I was hired because of my journalistic talents..."

G considered this. "Let me help you," he offered. "Two heads are better than one, after all. Maybe together we can knock some sense into the agencies."

Anne smiled. It was probably bending a few rules, maybe breaking them. If the EPF Director found out about this, she'd definitely get reprimanded. G would probably also get reprimanded if the PSA Director found out. But if it got the operation solved? If it got those two stubborn agencies to work together? If it paved the way for more alliances in the future?

"I'd like that, thanks."

It would be totally worth it.


	16. Nomothetic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _nomothetic. adjective. relating to, involving, or dealing with abstract, general, or universal statements or laws._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or: in which I am probably _not_ using the Word of the Day correctly. Please do not use this chapter as a dictionary reference.
> 
> Actually, please do not use most of these drabbles as dictionary references. I can't guarantee they're all being used properly.

 

"I don't understand."

Rachel gave Professor Entropy Schuyler a blank look that, frankly, drove the professor batty. "What don't you understand?"

Entropy ran a flipper through her hair. "Your report. It's way too advanced for this class. You're not the type to plagiarize. Also, I ran it through a plagiarism checker, and apart from ridiculously stupid stuff, it came back fine, so you didn't copy this off the internet." She looked at Rachel seriously. "Why is this such an advanced report, when all of your other reports have been grade-level?"

Rachel's eyes suddenly lit in realization. "Oh! Well, back while I was living on Club Penguin Island, I did a similar thing to this lab. Only I was working with my friend Gary, who is kind of a genius, and, well... a lot of what he told me stuck. I found it kind of interesting, so I put some of the things he taught me during that project int my report. All in my own words, of course," she quickly added.

Entropy let out a sigh. "Is that why you also used really big words that most of everyone hadn't heard of?  _I_ had to break out a dictionary for your report."

Rachel winced. "Sorry, Professor Schuyler," she said. "But yeah, Gary told me a lot of words that were useful here. My personal favorite is 'nomothetic', and I just thought, 'well, I  _have_ to include that  _somehow_ , since we're talking about general scientific laws. It really fits, assuming I'm using the word correctly."

Entropy let out a deep sigh. "I suppose, but... you can't make a habit of this. This can get you accused of plagiarism really quickly. I still don't know what to grade this, because it's just  _too complex_."

Rachel nodded. "I'm sorry, Professor Schuyler. I'll try not to make a habit of it."

Entropy nodded. "Thank you. You're free to go."

As Rachel dashed off, Entropy let out another sigh. She knew that Rachel had spent less than two years on the island, and yet she was full of mysteries and friends in high places from her time there. She was far more unique than most penguins her age, and that made her shine brightly. Entropy had no idea what exactly to make of her.

But she knew that one, she was  _definitely_ using this word wrong, and  __two: 'nomothetic' in no way applied to Rachel.


	17. Farouche

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _farouche. adjective. marked by shyness and lack of polish._

Reagan was not what you would consider your average agent.

If you asked the Sports Shop clerk who was working the day she joined the agency, he would tell you that Reagan was very awkward when asking about the PSA, despite knowing he had the clearance to know.

If you asked the agent who was responsible for handing out missions, she would tell you that Reagan was incredibly shy, almost afraid to ask for her first mission.

If you asked the agent who trained her, they would tell you that Reagan easily stumbled over her own words, that she lacked the Polish most agents had.

She quickly gained the codename Agent Farouche. Most deemed it appropriate, and thought that she would never succeed.

Reagan may have been farouche, but she's not one who likes being taken lightly.

She worked hard. She found her strengths in behind the scenes work, in paperwork. She worked, she organized, she built a reputation. That girl who no one thought would succeed? She's half of what keeps the agency in one piece.

Reagan was not what you would consider your average agent.

But she was absolutely important to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rushed, I know...


	18. Teetotaler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _teetotaler. noun. someone who never drinks alcohol._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wait. Can I... actually write something that's _not_ Club Penguin fanfiction?!
> 
> Well, yeah, I can. I managed to watch the new Carmen Sandiego show, and it's really awesome, so... have a Carmen Sandiego drabble today.

"The Niagara Falls Charity Ball."

Carmen took a deep breath and stepped into the ballroom. She slipped her phone out of her handbag and sent a text message.

 **_Red Sheep  
_ ** _Player, I'm here. Where are you?_

She pocketed her phone and glanced around. The ballroom was crowded; socialites gossiped, guests chatted, men looked for women to flirt with. Everyone was dressed formally; dresses sparkled, suits shined, and jewels glimmered in the chandelier's light.

_Perfect opportunity for a thief. Shame I'm not here to steal anything._

Carmen slipped through the crowds, keeping her eyes open. Player was supposed to be at the ball tonight, but he had not provided details on where to meet, nor any identifying traits. She needed his text response, so she could transfer the VILE hard drive to him and get the gadgets he had secured for her.

At least Player knew she'd be wearing a scarlet dress, which she'd managed to steal from a shop. Hey, a girl needed to blend in.

"Champagne, madame?"

Carmen twirled around, coming face to face with a waiter holding a tray of champagne glasses. He was looking at her expectantly, awaiting an answer. "Oh, um, no, thank you," she said, trying her best to sound formal. "I... don't drink."

The waiter nodded and walked away. Carmen could not stop a sigh of relief from escaping; that could have become awkward.

"So you're a teetotaler, then?" a boy with a vaguely familiar voice suddenly asked.

Carmen whirled around again. A boy with shaggy black hair was leaning against the wall, looking at her, arms crossed. He wore a white suit with a black tie, a briefcase resting by his feet. He looked like he was waiting for someone. What caught Carmen's eye, though, was the white hat perched on his head. And since his voice seemed familiar...

Carmen crossed her arms as well. "So you're a language expert, too?" she asked, striding over to Player. "Not just geography and technology?"

Player blinked. "How'd you figure out it was me?"

"The white hat." Carmen brushed her hair back. "You could've at least replied to my text."

Player quickly pulled out his phone and checked his text messages. "Didn't see it until just now," he said, then slipped it back into his pocket. "Sorry 'bout that. I had to slip away from my parents. And you answer your question, I just happen to be  _very_ fond of checking out the word of the day."

Carmen let out a chuckle. "So what does 'teetotaler' mean, anyway?"

"Someone who never drinks alcohol," Player said.

Carmen shrugged. "Someone once told me that it's good to have a clear head to pull of a successful caper. Alcohol prevents that." She smirked and opened her handbag. "Anyway, I've got the hard drive. Can what you've got in that briefcase fit into this bag?"

Player grinned, crouched down, and opened the briefcase. "Let's find out."


	19. Gargantuan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _gargantuan. adjective. tremendous in size, volume, or degree._

" _So I may have made a mistake..._ "

Carmen couldn't help but let out a sigh. Normally whenever she hears those words, it was something rather trivial (compared to, say, "I gave valuable information to VILE") but yet it generally created a small mess. Also, her mission control could be dramatic. "Player, what did you do?"

" _So you know how my mom walked in on me in the middle of our caper last week?_ "

"Yeah. You said there was no pause button. Zack nearly cracked."

" _Yeah... so, of course, my parents were wondering what I was doing that should have had a pause button._ " Player sighed. " _So I told them I was playing a video game called 'Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?'_ "

Carmen let out a deep sigh. She wasn't entirely thrilled that he told his parents her name, but for quick improvisation it was pretty good. "Please tell me they bought it."

" _They did. Then they wondered why I was playing a video game instead of doing my schoolwork. So I told them it was an educational videogame meant to teach geography._ "

Carmen frowned. "Player, you aren't taking geography this year. Your online school doesn't even _offer_ geography."

" _Yeah, they finally figured that out. If they catch me 'playing' this game again instead of doing schoolwork, I'll be grounded. This is a gargantuan mess, Red._ "

Carmen couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "Only you, Player," she muttered. "Now how about you stop being dramatic and stop living up to your name, and start doing your schoolwork like you should?"

Player let out an exasperated sigh. " _Yes, Mother._ "


	20. Wherewithal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _wherewithal. noun. means or resources for purchasing or doing something specifically; financial resources;money._

Carmen glanced out the airplane window, watching the clouds pass by. "Where are you taking me, Player?"

" _Boston, Massachusetts,_ " Player said. " _VILE set up a donut shop in the south side of the city._ "

"No doubt to get the wherewithal for some new gadget of Dr. Bellum's," Carmen muttered. "Got anything more specific?"

" _I wish. Haven't managed to decrypt everything here yet. I just know that they're striking soon._ "

Carmen let out a hum of acknowledgement, then turned back to the window. "Keep working at it. We'll need as much information as possible if we want to take VILE down."

" _On it._ "

Carmen smiled. She knew for certain that she wouldn't be fighting against VILE if Player hadn't been there for her, and they both considered each other to be their best friend. But Carmen wasn't quite content with just the one friend in Player; she was seeing the world, travelling everywhere. Surely some more could join her team...

She shook her head. Case first. If all went well, she should be out of Boston in less that a week.

And if all went well, she'd be leaving alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess not all went well?


	21. Substantive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _substantive. adjective. important, real, or meaningful._

 "Wait, so you're saying...?"

"That Player is the missing kid? Yes, I am."

Ivy blinked, trying to process this information. "So, that sketchy person Player said he thought was following him..."

"Probably part of VILE." Carmen let out a sigh. "I don't even know how they found him."

Ivy put her hand on Carmen's shoulder. "How do you  _know_ it's Player?"

"Honestly?" Carmen asked. "Player said someone's been following him, then suddenly dropped contact around the same time a boy in Niagara Falls went missing. And I  _know_ Player lives there."

"It could have just been a friend of Player's..."

Carmen looked Ivy dead in the eye, a stone cold expression on her face. "You got any substantial evidence for that?"

Ivy winced; Carmen was absolutely terrifying if you got on her wrong side, and somebody  _definitely_ got on her wrong side. "No, I don't," she admitted. "You're probably right. Either way, our help is needed in Niagara Falls."

Carmen nodded and pulled on her trench coat. "Call Zack and get him to pick us up. I have a feeling that it's gonna be red tonight."


	22. Cumulate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _cumulate. verb. to gather or build up little by little._

**Player**  
What's up?

**Black Sheep**  
Exams are coming up. I'm so nervous but so excited!

**Player**  
Please tell me you at least studied hard

**Black Sheep**  
Of course

**Black Sheep**  
I've dreamed about this since I was a little girl

**Player**  
Sending you my best wishes

**Black Sheep**  
Thanks :)

**Black Sheep**  
I'm pretty confident in all but one of my classes honestly

**Player**  
That class not your strong suit?

**Black Sheep**  
More like my teacher doesn't really like me

**Black Sheep**  
The tension's been cumulating, and I feel like the fallout is coming soon

**Player**  
Think of it this way

**Player**  
Are your grades good in the class?

**Black Sheep**  
Yes.

**Player**  
Are you confident in your abilities to pass your exam?

**Black Sheep**  
Yes.

**Player**  
Are you certain that nothing is holding you back from doing your best?

**Black Sheep**  
Yes.

**Player**  
Then unless something unusual happens, or your teacher is a complete jerk, you're gonna do fine.

**Black Sheep**  
...

**Black Sheep**  
Thanks, Player. I think I needed that.

**Player**  
Anything for my friend :)

* * *

**Player**  
So how'd exams go?

**Black Sheep**  
I passed most of them

**Player**  
Most?

**Black Sheep**  
You know that one teacher who doesn't like me?

**Black Sheep**  
I failed his exam

**Player**  
I'm sorry <3

**Player**  
I'm sure you did your best, and things will get better between you two in the future

**Black Sheep**  
Doubtful about that last part, but thanks :)


	23. Imbroglio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _imbroglio. noun. a complex dispute or argument._

"I need  _out_ of this imbroglio."

Tatiana looked at her partner curiously. "What's up?"

Her partner let out a frustrated sigh. "Can you not tell Chief? I'm still trying to figure out how to break this all to her."

"Um, I guess." What could possibly be driving her partner so crazy, yet needed to be kept secret from Chief?

"Okay." Her partner leaned back in his seat. "So, we've been assigned to work on taking down the elusive thief Carmen Sandiego, because she tortured an ACME agent."

"Right." Tatiana crossed her arms. "You think she's innocent and this is all one big misunderstanding?"

"More than that..." Her partner let out another sigh. "I'm actually Carmen's best friend?"

"...what."

"Yeah. By the way, the whole thing  _was_ a misunderstanding; Carmen was trying to rescue the ACME agent in question."

Tatiana let out a groan and ran her hand through her hair. "Are you joking? We've been assigned to a  _misunderstanding_? Does she even know about this mess we're in?"

"Nope; to Carmen, I'm still just Player the white hat hacker." He shrugged. "And yes, we have been assigned to a misunderstanding. To make it better, Carmen is trying to take down VILE. Which is ACME's ultimate goal. She'd be more valuable as an ally than an enemy."

Tatiana tugged at her hair. "I'm dreaming, aren't I? There's  _no way_ this mess can be real."

Player shook his head. "No, it's real. And I've got  _no_ ideas on how to resolve it."

Tatiana sighed. "Well then, let's get brainstorming. I don't want to deal with this any longer than necessary anymore."


	24. Adjudicate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _adjudicate. verb. to settle judicially or to act as judge._

" _Dude, seriously strange things are going down around here._ "

Player blinked, briefly stopping typing his essay that he was writing while talking to his friend. "What do you mean?"

He heard Black Sheep let out a sigh. " _Okay, so basically a couple of students got into an argument. That argument escalated from verbal to physical, and it went to the Faculty so they can adjudicate the situation._ "

Player frowned. "I'm... pretty sure that's normal for most schools." Of course, Black Sheep  _never_  attended a normal school - that much he knew - but she still had an idea of what a "normal" school entailed. This should not have stood out as particularly odd. "Besides, didn't you once say that fights were somewhat common?"

" _Yeah,_ " Black Sheep said. " _But not like this. These guys got into a fistfight over whether or not pineapples should go on pizza._ "

...what.

Player shook his head, trying to process this. "Seriously?" he asked, bewildered. "Like, I know it's a semi-controversial subject - and personally, I believe they  _do_ \- but that's a little extreme."

" _It gets better,_ " Black Sheep said, causing Player to immediately wonder how else this wild fight could turn. " _The Faculty heard the subject of the fight, and instead of immediately trying to figure out a punishment for them, they decide  to come up with a ruling on whether or not pineapples belong on pizza._ "

...what.

Player pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do your Faculty have no priorities?"

" _I think they do,_ " Black Sheep said. " _But times like this, I kind of wonder the same thing._ _They ruled no, by the way. I agree with them._ "

Player grinned. "How dare you," he said, voice teasing. "The Faculty is  _clearly_ wrong, and so are you."

As they quickly dived into a debate about whether or not pineapples belong on pizza, Player couldn't help but wonder how, despite having never seen her face, he wound up with such a great friend.


	25. Myopic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _myopic. adjective. lacking in foresight or discernment._

 

Working with Chase Devineaux could be... frustrating.

"Egotistical idiot," someone at Interpol had described him as upon learning that new recruit Julia Argent was partnered with him. She thought they just had a bad experience with him. Yet she quickly learned how true those words were.

When a woman in a red trench coat and fedora showed up a fortnight after Julia joined, she and Chase were assigned to the case, as the woman was quickly identified to be world-famous thief Carmen Sandiego. He quickly became  _obsessed_ with being the one to catch her once and for all. Even when she escaped with whatever was more valuable than the Eye of Vishnu, he was still determined to catch her.

Which led to the two of them joining a top-secret agency called ACME, who wanted to learn what Carmen Sandiego knew about a top-secret crime empire called VILE.

The extended jurisdiction did nothing to cool Devineaux's obsession; if anything, it made it worse. Now that he had the freedom to pursue her, he did so vigorously. Hewas determined to catch La Femme Rouge, and he would let nothing get in the way of his goal. This unfortunately left him ridiculously myopic; he was  _solely_ determined to catch her, and didn't incorporate VILE - the larger picture - into any of his thinking.

Julia would give credit where credit was due, though. His insane determination left him to be one of the few to actually come into contact with Carmen Sandiego, let alone track her down repeatedly. He had a fire, one that was important in this field of work.

But she could only hope the wildness of his flame would not get him into grave danger.


	26. Doldrums

Lynne was busy, but she was not blind.

She knew her son well enough. She knew that he was struggling after the unexpected death of his sister. She knew how close they were, and she knew how hard it hit him. She knew that he needed to work things through, and that he would find his ways to cope.

Throwing himself into his computer... wasn't how she expected him to deal with it, but she supposed that there were worse ways.

Her son managed to find something to do on the computer, something that kept him from breaking completely, but he wouldn't share what, specifically, it was. She was a concerned parent, of course, and wanted to know, but she got the impression he would reveal in his own time.

(When he bought a white hat while snickering to himself like there was an inside joke, she did some research. She promptly decided to turn a blind eye to whatever technically-illegal stuff he was doing; it was doing more good than harm on both sides, anyway.)

When he revealed that he made a friend via wrong number named Oveja Black, she wasn't sure what to make of it. Of course, friendships like this were risky; you couldn't  _guarantee_ that whoever you were talking to was who they said they were. But as time passed and her son was open about the friendship with his parents and Lynne saw him smile and laugh and be  _happy_ , she knew that his friend was good for him.

Then, shortly after she was set to graduate her school, Oveja vanished.

That was when Lynne realized just how much Oveja meant to her son. He grew increasingly worried for her, and could not learn if she was okay, as each time he got through, strange people would answer - people who he felt like he couldn't trust, he admitted.

He was in the doldrums throughout the summer and most of the autumn, and it pained Lynne that she could not do anything about it.

Come December, things changed. Oveja had managed to get in touch with Lynne's son; turns out, she had been grounded and had her phone confiscated for an unnecessarily long period of time. But she was safe, and she was back in touch.

Lynne may have been busy, but she was not blind.

She saw how much her son's friendship with Oveja Black meant to him. And even when things in that friendship turned bizarre - again, she was not blind, she  _knew_ things went wild, though she did not know how - she would not interfere. It was a healthy enough relationship, and she would let her son be happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cookies to anyone who figures out why player chose the pseudonym "oveja black" for his new friend who was secretly training to be a thief


End file.
